5 years later, family holds out hope of solving Peanut's death

Blake Jackson, 17, looks over a pillow the family had made in memory of his father, Everett "Peanut" Jackson, at Veronica Hamilton's home on West County Highway 326, north of Ocala, Fla. on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2013. Jackson's torso was found floating in the Ocklawaha River near the Sharpes Ferry Bridge on Sept. 14, 2008 and police investigators still have not been able to solve the murder.

Published: Saturday, September 21, 2013 at 6:22 p.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, September 21, 2013 at 6:22 p.m.

OCALA -- Veronica Hamilton remembers key dates from five years ago. Some of those dates, though joyful, carry painful memories.

Her wedding anniversary is Sept. 1, a day normally reserved for a happy occasion. Instead, that day, she said, was the last anyone ever saw or heard from her son Everett Laverne “Peanut” Jackson, father of three.

Four days later, the family reported him missing. Then, on Sept. 14, 2008, her mother’s birthday, two people found a human torso in the Ocklawaha River near the Sharpes Ferry bridge.

Tissue samples were sent to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement crime lab for DNA testing, and on Oct. 28, 2008, Hamilton’s worst fears were confirmed: The torso was her son’s.

“I knew he was dead. But what shocked me was the torso,” a dejected Hamilton said, sitting in her living room with her cousin and her grandson, one of Jackson’s three children.

Her son was never known to carry a gun, to be a bully or to trouble anyone, she said. So it was gut wrenching to be told about the condition in which her son was found.

“Not only did you kill him, you dismembered him. I have nothing. Whatever I was given, I had to cremate him,” she said.

September is especially hard on Hamilton, because Sept. 24 would’ve been her son’s 44th birthday.

“My question is where do we go from here,” she said.

For a time, Hamilton said she was at a standstill. She lost her mother a little more than three years ago. Her mother, she said, loved Jackson because he was a first-born and her only grandson. She believes her mother died from a broken heart.

Hamilton said several articles have been written about her son’s disappearance and death, and she hasn’t read any. T-shirts in her son’s memory have been made, but she hasn’t worn any. Officials have sent her documents confirming her son’s death. She has not read them. She said she has asked investigators some questions, but doesn’t want to probe too far.

“I can’t right now … Maybe in years to come,” she said. “I’m still waiting to wake up from this nightmare.”

Returning to five years ago, Hamilton remembers the last time she saw her son. It was Aug. 31, 2008, when she returned from a trip to Atlanta. Greeting her at home, Jackson unloaded her bags, she gave him some shirts she had purchased for him, they talked and the last thing she told him was “to be careful” and that she loved him, Hamilton recalls.

Two days later, Hamilton said, Jackson’s father called and asked her if she had seen Jackson or his truck. It wasn’t like her son not to call his mother or his family. Hamilton recalls when Jackson was in the Navy and stationed in Italy, that he frequently called home, wanting to know what she was cooking.

Still not hearing from him, Hamilton worried, because her son had a serious heart ailment and needed to take his medication, which wasn’t with him.

“This was not like him. Even when he lived in Tampa, he would call all the time,” recalled Joann McCants, Hamilton’s cousin.

An Ocala police officer found Jackson’s truck behind a grocery store the morning of Sept. 5. Still not hearing from Jackson, the family reported him missing.

Officers went to a residence where Jackson went from time to time but got no answer.

Inspector Mike Mongeluzzo, lead investigator of the case for the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, said some leads have come in, and when they do, he has tracked them down. So far, those leads have not turned up anything.

“We’re just waiting for that break,” Mongeluzzo said, adding they have a theory and are seeking information to see whether or not that theory is correct.

Hamilton said she has heard many theories, but she’s not interesting in those theories. She just wants her son’s killer or killers to come forward.

“All I want to know is why,” she said.

Jackson’s name and picture are on a large piece of cardboard with names of other unsolved murders. One of those unsolved cases is that of Benjamin Byron Carroll, 24 — known to Jackson’s family — who was stabbed in a home invasion. He died three days later. His death was also in 2008, and his picture is next to Jackson’s.

“My heart hurts for every family member who has a son or daughter on that board,” Hamilton said. “These senseless murders need to be solved.”

Blake Jackson, one of Jackson’s children, was 12 at the time of his father’s death. Now 17, and attending North Marion High School, Blake said what he misses most about his father is “his sense of humor and laughter.”

“He was always laughing,” the teenager said.

By keeping his memory alive, Jackson’s family members said it’s a way for the killer or killers to know that Peanut is loved and missed and information about his death needs to come forward.

“Somebody’s got to know something. If they didn’t do it, then they know who did it,” McCants said.

Anyone with any information about this homicide can call Mongeluzzo at 368-3508, Crime Stoppers at 368-STOP, text a tip to 274637 using the keyword 368stop or respond via www.ocalacrimestoppers.com.

<p>OCALA -- Veronica Hamilton remembers key dates from five years ago. Some of those dates, though joyful, carry painful memories.</p><p>Her wedding anniversary is Sept. 1, a day normally reserved for a happy occasion. Instead, that day, she said, was the last anyone ever saw or heard from her son Everett Laverne “Peanut” Jackson, father of three.</p><p>Four days later, the family reported him missing. Then, on Sept. 14, 2008, her mother's birthday, two people found a human torso in the Ocklawaha River near the Sharpes Ferry bridge.</p><p>Tissue samples were sent to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement crime lab for DNA testing, and on Oct. 28, 2008, Hamilton's worst fears were confirmed: The torso was her son's.</p><p>“I knew he was dead. But what shocked me was the torso,” a dejected Hamilton said, sitting in her living room with her cousin and her grandson, one of Jackson's three children.</p><p>Her son was never known to carry a gun, to be a bully or to trouble anyone, she said. So it was gut wrenching to be told about the condition in which her son was found.</p><p>“Not only did you kill him, you dismembered him. I have nothing. Whatever I was given, I had to cremate him,” she said.</p><p>September is especially hard on Hamilton, because Sept. 24 would've been her son's 44th birthday.</p><p>“My question is where do we go from here,” she said.</p><p>For a time, Hamilton said she was at a standstill. She lost her mother a little more than three years ago. Her mother, she said, loved Jackson because he was a first-born and her only grandson. She believes her mother died from a broken heart.</p><p>Hamilton said several articles have been written about her son's disappearance and death, and she hasn't read any. T-shirts in her son's memory have been made, but she hasn't worn any. Officials have sent her documents confirming her son's death. She has not read them. She said she has asked investigators some questions, but doesn't want to probe too far.</p><p>“I can't right now … Maybe in years to come,” she said. “I'm still waiting to wake up from this nightmare.”</p><p>Returning to five years ago, Hamilton remembers the last time she saw her son. It was Aug. 31, 2008, when she returned from a trip to Atlanta. Greeting her at home, Jackson unloaded her bags, she gave him some shirts she had purchased for him, they talked and the last thing she told him was “to be careful” and that she loved him, Hamilton recalls.</p><p>Two days later, Hamilton said, Jackson's father called and asked her if she had seen Jackson or his truck. It wasn't like her son not to call his mother or his family. Hamilton recalls when Jackson was in the Navy and stationed in Italy, that he frequently called home, wanting to know what she was cooking.</p><p>Still not hearing from him, Hamilton worried, because her son had a serious heart ailment and needed to take his medication, which wasn't with him.</p><p>“This was not like him. Even when he lived in Tampa, he would call all the time,” recalled Joann McCants, Hamilton's cousin.</p><p>An Ocala police officer found Jackson's truck behind a grocery store the morning of Sept. 5. Still not hearing from Jackson, the family reported him missing. </p><p>Officers went to a residence where Jackson went from time to time but got no answer.</p><p>Inspector Mike Mongeluzzo, lead investigator of the case for the Marion County Sheriff's Office, said some leads have come in, and when they do, he has tracked them down. So far, those leads have not turned up anything.</p><p>“We're just waiting for that break,” Mongeluzzo said, adding they have a theory and are seeking information to see whether or not that theory is correct.</p><p>Hamilton said she has heard many theories, but she's not interesting in those theories. She just wants her son's killer or killers to come forward.</p><p>“All I want to know is why,” she said.</p><p>Jackson's name and picture are on a large piece of cardboard with names of other unsolved murders. One of those unsolved cases is that of Benjamin Byron Carroll, 24 — known to Jackson's family — who was stabbed in a home invasion. He died three days later. His death was also in 2008, and his picture is next to Jackson's.</p><p>“My heart hurts for every family member who has a son or daughter on that board,” Hamilton said. “These senseless murders need to be solved.”</p><p>Blake Jackson, one of Jackson's children, was 12 at the time of his father's death. Now 17, and attending North Marion High School, Blake said what he misses most about his father is “his sense of humor and laughter.”</p><p>“He was always laughing,” the teenager said.</p><p>By keeping his memory alive, Jackson's family members said it's a way for the killer or killers to know that Peanut is loved and missed and information about his death needs to come forward.</p><p>“Somebody's got to know something. If they didn't do it, then they know who did it,” McCants said.</p><p>Anyone with any information about this homicide can call Mongeluzzo at 368-3508, Crime Stoppers at 368-STOP, text a tip to 274637 using the keyword 368stop or respond via www.ocalacrimestoppers.com.</p>